Freight car construction



July 9, 1940. R. w. THOMPSON FREIGHT CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed April 27, 1959 s Sheets-Sheet 1 N liwelzf H64, W 7' 60 17 y 1940- R. w. THOMPSON 2,207,361 FREIGHT CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed April 27, 1939 1 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Irwe/zZZr v HeaW AO July 9', 1940. R. w; THOMPSON FREIGHT CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed April 27, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 v I Inuelzlr flea 14572011 0 9' M III/4% Patented July 9, 1940 UNITED STATES FREIGHT CAR PATENT OFFiCE CONSTRUCTION Application April 27, 1939, Serial No. 270,269

19 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in rail- ,road freight car construction, and has particular reference to improvement in side sill construction by which great strength, economical maintenance, and pleasing appearance are obtained.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved side sill construction for box cars which can be readily and economically fabricated either by welding or riveting methods, and which will have a high proportion of strength in relation to weight.

Another object is to remove the tendency to corrosion at the junction of steel side sheathing and side sill by the provision of an improved side sill construction, which eliminates moistureabsorbent material, such as wooden flooring and Wooden grain strips, from this region.

Another object is the provision of a novel side sill construction which permits the removal and replacement .of car flooring without disturbing the other elements of the car such as the inside wall lining.

Another object is to improve the appearance of the car in accordance with modern treatment by utilizing a construction which is readily adapted to formation from an ornamental, as well as a utility, standpoint.

These and other objects of the invention will appear from the following description of the structure shown in the accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of the lower portion of a car side wall along the side sill, of substantially half the length of a box car, the portion of the structure underlying the door opening being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse vertical section on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section through the door post on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a still further enlarged transverse vertical section of the side sill construction and contiguous floor and wall structure, on line 44 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse vertical section of a modified side sill construction and contiguous floor and wall structure, the section being taken on substantially the same line as Fig. l.

The majority of railroad box cars now in use employ the side-carrying principle of construction, in which the side of the car forms a girder or truss which supports the weight of the car between the bolsters. The side sill is the bottom chord of the truss or girder. Usually a structural angle is used for the sill, to which are fastened the side posts and side sheathing, and the horizontal leg of the angleforms a shelf which supports the ends of the flooring boards.

This type of construction is often heavier than necessary for strength, since corrosion is prevalent because of the presence'of wood used for grain strips and for flooring. Also, because of the limited length of leg obtainable for a given weight of structural angle the horizontal leg of the angle cannot project far enough toward the center of the car. This requires the fiooringto extend very close to the vertical leg of the angle in order to rest on the shelf formed by the horizontal leg, with the result that the flooring cannot be raised or replaced without first removing the inside lining of the side wall of the car.

Since box cars of the above type are often used for transporting grain in bulk, they are equipped with a wooden grain strip, triangular in section, so that-any grain getting into the space between outside sheathing and inside lining of the side wall will be deflected by the grain strip at the bottom of this space, back into the loading space of the car. The presence of this grain strip constitutes another wooden sponge which retains moisture in close contact with the side sill of the car, thus accelerating corrosion of the sill at its junction with the outside sheathing. My invention overcomes these difiiculties and objections to the present car structure.

In Fig. 1, the structure for onehalf the length of a car is shown, this structure extending from one corner post A of the car to the center of the door opening B, but is to be understood that the other half, extending from the center of the door to the opposite corner post of the car, is a duplicate of and a continuation of that shown.

The side sill construction which forms the lower or bottom chord of the side girder of the car in general is composed of two elements which extend the entire length of the car body. One of these elements is the member C which forms the outer member of the side sill and defines the lower margin of the car side wall. This sill member C extends continuously throughout the length of the car body from corner post to corner post. Its lower portion I is preferably curved inwardly on a considerable radius so as to round off the lower edge of the car body and impart to said lower edge of the car body a pleasing appearance in harmony with the present day so-calledstreamlining. The lower inner margin 2 of this sill member C is secured, preferably by welding, to the cross-bearers or bolsters of conventional web and flange type.

The car wall, made up of metal sheet, is secured to these sill members C. Only a portion of the wall sheathing 4, sufficient to illustrate the construction, is shown. The lower margin of this sheathing (Fig. 4-.) overlaps the upper marginal portion of the sill member C and is secured thereto preferably by welding 5 along its edge, thus forming a tight joint between the car wall and the sill.

The other element of the side sill is made up of three sections disposed in alignment throughout the length of the car and constitute the inner sill member. The end sections D of this inner element extend from the door posts E to the corner posts A, and the center section F extends between the door posts and underlies the door opening. These sections D and F are similar in cross section with the exception that the upper portion 1 of the center section F extends horizontally to provide a support for the tread plate 8, whereas the corresponding portions 9 of the end sections D are disposed at an angle (Fig. 4) to the horizontal and constitute grain strips in the body of the car, as more fully referred to hereinafter. Both the end sections D and the center section F have vertical web portions I and inwardly extending horizontal portions H which are in alignment and which together form a continuous shelf for supporting the end portions of the car floor boards l2, the depth of this shelf formed by the portions l0 and H being substantially the thickness of the car floor l2. The adjacent ends of the shelf portions I l of the end and center sections bear upon and are supported by the cross-bearers 3 (Fig. 1) beneath the door posts E. The inner margins 13 of the shelf portions H are turned downwardly to increase the rigidity of the structure and to provide bearings for the inner ends of a plurality of transverse stiifeners or spacers which are disposed at intervals throughout the length of the sill structure. These transverse stifieners are plates M- which extend from the down-turned margins l3 to the outer sill members C. The stiffeners or braces M which are disposed in the portions of 'the sill structure between the door posts and the end posts are generally triangular in form and their outer ends (Fig. 4) are curved on their edges to conform to the curvature of the portions I of the sill member C to which they are secured, preferably by welding, as indicated at [6.

The inner ends of these stiffeners or braces M are secured preferably by Welding I! to the down-turned margins l3, and their upper edges support the shelf portions II to which these edges are fastened preferably by welding I8. The portions of the side sill underlying the door opening and adjacent the door opening are reinforced by a longitudinally disposed web l8 which extends beneath the door opening and to a point corresponding to the first side post 25 beyond the door opening. This web is a fiat strip or plate made up of three sections in longitudinal alignment and positioned between the inner and outer sill members. The two end sections extend from the post 25 to the cross-bearers 3 (Fig. l) and their ends are secured by welding to the stiffeners I l and the webs of the cross-bearers. The central section of the reinforcing web I9 underlies the door opening and is secured at its ends to the cross-bearers. The upper edge of I members the web l9 (Fig. 2) is joined by welding 20 to the inner margin of the horizontal shelf portion 1 l of the inner sill member F. The lower edge of the web is is secured by welding 20 along the lower inside margin of the outer side sill member C. The sill is thus reinforced and strengthened in the central portion underlying the door to compensate for the door opening in the side girder of the car. Several stiffener members l or braces are provided (Figs. 1 and 2) for supporting the portion of the shelf ll of the inner sill member F lying across the door opening. These l5 are triangular in shape and are secured by welding 20 to the shelf ll and the reinforcing web IS.

The outer margins of the horizontal portions I of the center section F are secured preferably by welding, indicated at 22, to the edge of the outer sill member C, this outer sill member C having a cut-out portion for the door opening. The upper margins 23 of the inclined grain strip portions 9 of the end sections D are turned vertically upward in parallel relation to the upper margin of sill section C and joined to this section C preferably by welding 23', as indicated in Fig. 4.

It will thus be seen that the outer sill section C, the inner sill sections D and F, the cross braces or stiifeners, and the longitudinal web [9 are all tied together to form an integral structure of great strength and rigidity extending the entire length of the car. The central portion enclosed by the reinforcing web i9 is thus of tubular formation, while those portions extending to the ends are semi-tubular or inverted trough-like in section.

The angular or downwardly and inwardly inclined grain strip portions 9 of the end sections D also provide a lower end stop and connection for the vertical side posts 25 of the car wall, which are disposed at intervals throughout the length of the car body. These side posts extend downwardly from the roof of the car to support the roof and the outer wall sheathing 4. These posts are of Z-shape in cross section and their lower ends (Fig. 4) rest upon the grain strip portions 9. Their lower ends are cut at an angle corresponding to the angle of the grain strip portions 9 and are secured thereto preferably by welding 26. The inner flanges 21 of these side posts support the inside lining 28 of the car, which is usual in box car construction. This lining 28, a portion of which is shown more particularly in Fig. 4, is usually made of wood in the form of boards extending lengthwise of the car. It is supported by the side posts and extends downwardly to within a few inches of the car floor so as to leave space along the lower margin of the lining which communicates with the space between the inside lining and the outer wall 4 of the car.

In accordance with my improved construction, the inclined grain strip portions 9 of the end sections D serve to deflect the grain, or any other material which gets into the space between the inside car lining and the car wall, onto the floor of the car through the opening below the lower margin of the inside lining 28. It will be noted that the shelf portions Ill and II of the center and end sections of the inner sill member which support the floor [2 are spaced inwardly from the outer sill member C. These parts are so proportioned that the side margin ll! of the floor is inwardly of the vertical plane of the inner face of the inside lining 28 so that the transversely disposed wooden floor boards of which the floor [2 is usually comprised may be readily ends. The ends of the floor boards terminate short of the Vertical web portions Ill and provide a channel for a sealing compound 30, the use of the sealing compound being common practice in car construction.

The door posts E are L-shaped in cross section and have fitted within the angle a wooden column 31 secured thereto by the bolts 32. The inside lining 28 overlies these wooden columns and the usual nailing strip 33 is provided. The wooden columns extend down and are angled at their lower ends to conform to the angular grain strip portions 9. The lower ends 34 of the door posts, however, extend down to the cross-bearers 3 between the ends of shelf portions H of sections 1 D and F, thus closing the opening into the tubu- ,lar sill structure which would otherwise exist. The lower end portions 34' abut the ends of the angular grain strip portions 9.

The tread plate 8 hereinbefore referred to, is positioned between the door posts and extends inwardly some distance where it overlies the floor margin and is secured to the floor by bolts. The outer margin of this tread plate extends beyond the plane of the wall of the car and is doubled back upon itself and its end secured to the sill member C by welding, as indicated at 3'5 (Fig.

2). The tread plate is preferably made in two sections abutting each other along its dividing line B (Fig. 2), so that the inner section may be readily removed without disturbing welded connections when it is desired to remove or replace floor boards.

Referring now to Fig. 5, I have shown an alternate form for cars which are not intended for use as grain cars and hence require no grain strips or provisions therefor. In this modification, the portions 9 of the inner sill member sections D are disposed horizontally instead of angularly throughout the entire length of the sill, and their outer margins or edges 9' are secured by welding to the inner face of the sill member C. The side posts 25 are correspondingly formed at their lower ends to bear upon the horizontal portions 9 to which they are secured by Welding 25, as indicated. The transverse braces or stiifeners M in the end portions of the sill structure have their upper portions M extended upwardly beyond the plane of the shelf ll, so as to support the horizontal portions 9, and these extensions I l are secured to the portions 9 by welding. In the case of this modified structure, it is preferable to close the space between the car wall and the inner lining 28; the lower margin of this lining is extended down to the horizontal portion 9, as shown in Fig. 5. In this construction, as well as that hereinbefore described, the inner face of the lining is in a vertical plane beyond the margin l2 of the floor, so that the floor boards can be removed or replaced without disturbing the lining.

It is obvious that changes may be made in the construction, arrangement, and operation of the various parts, without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I contemplate such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Iclaimt' the combination of an outer sill member extending lengthwise of the car, an inner sill member likewise extending lengthwise of the car and joined to said outer sill member at its upper portion, said inner sill member having an inwardly extending floor supporting portion, a car floor supported by said supporting portion, an outer car wall extending upwardly from said outer sill member, and an inside lining spaced from said car wall in a vertical plane offset outwardly beyond the verticalplane of the margin of said floor. 1 2. In a side sill for freight cars, the combination of an outer sill member and an inner sill member extending lengthwise of the car, said inner sill member having a portion extending inwardly from said outer sill member and having at its inner margin a downwardly extending portion and an inwardly extending horizontal portion forming a shelf for supporting the floor of the car, said shelf being spaced inwardly from the outer sill member by said inwardly extending portion and being disposed in a plane intermedi ate the upper and lower margins of said outer sill member, and'transverse spacer members between and secured to said inner and outer sill members and disposed at intervals along the length thereof.

3. In a side sill construction for freight cars, the combination of an outer Sill member extending lengthwise of the car, an inner sill member likewise extending lengthwise of the car and joined to said outer sill member at its upper portion, said inner sill member having a downwardly and inwardly inclined, portion forming a grain deflectingstrip, and a removable car floor supported by said side sill with its margin disposed inwardly of and below the inner margin of said grain deflecting strip.

4. In a side sill construction for freight cars,

the combination of an outer sill member extending lengthwise of the car, an inner sill member likewise extending lengthwise of the car and joined to said outer sill member at its upper portion, said inner sill member having a downwardly and inwardly inclined portion forming a grain deflecting strip, a horizontal shelf portion extending inwardly from and below the inner margin of said grain deflecting strip, a car floor supported by said shelf, an outer car wall extending upwardly from said outer sill member, and an inside lining spaced from said car wall above said grain deflecting strip in a plane olfset outwardly from the plane of the margin of the floor.

5. In a side sill for freight cars, the combination of an outer sill member and an inner sill member extending lengthwise of the car, said inner sill member having an inclined portion extending downwardly and inwardly from said outer sill member and having a shelf at the base of said inclined portion for supporting the floor of the car. said shelf being spaced inwardly from the outer sill member, and transverse spacer members between and secured to said inner and outer sill members and disposed at intervals along the length thereof.

6. In a freight car construction, the combination of an outer side wall, an outer sill member extending along and secured to the lower margin disposed portion at the base of said downwardly inclined portion forming a supporting shelf for the floor of the ear, and transverse and longitudinal spacer members disposed between and secured to said outer and inner sill members, said spacer members underlying said shelf portion.

7. In a freight car construction, the combination of an outer side wall, an outer sill member extending along and secured to the lower margin of said wall, an inner sill member secured along its upper margin to the upper margin of the outer sill member and having a portion extending angularly downwardly and inwardly to form a grain deflecting strip and having a horizontally disposed portion at the base of said downwardly inclined portion forming a supporting shelf for the floor of the car, transverse spacer members disposed between and secured to said outer and inner sill members, said spacer members underlying said shelf portion, side posts extending upwardly from said inclined portion and having said side Wall secured thereto, an inside lining secured to said side posts and spaced thereby from said side wall, and a car floor mounted on said shelf with its side margin disposed inwardly of the plane of said inside lining.

8. In a side sill construction for freight cars, the combination of an outer sill member, an inner sill member having a horizontally disposed shelf portion for the car floor spaced'inwardly of said outer sill member and having a grain deflecting portion extending upwardly from said shelf and angularly toward said outer sill member and joined to said outer sill member along its upper margin.

9. In a side sill construction for freight cars, the combination of an outer sill member, an inner sill member having a horizontally disposed shelf portion for the car floor spaced inwardly of said outer sill member and having a grain deflecting portion extending upwardly from said shelf and angularly toward said outer sill member and joined to said outer sill member along its upper margin, and transverse spacer members positioned between said outer and inner sill members and secured thereto.

10. In a. side sill construction for freight cars, the combination of an outer sill member, an inner sill member having a horizontally disposed shelf portion for the car floor spaced inwardly of said outer sill member and having a grain deflecting portion extending upwardly from. said shelf and angularly toward said outer sill member and welded to said outer sill member along its upper margin, and transverse spacer members positioned between said sill members and underlying said shelf portion and secured to said sill members, including said shelf portion.

11. In a side sill construction for freight cars, the combination of an outer sill member, an inner sill member having a horizontally disposed shelf portion for the car floor spaced inwardly of said outer sill member and having a grain defleeting portion extending upwardly from said shelf and angular-1y toward said outer sill member and joined to said outer sill member along its upper margin, an outer car wall secured to said sill members, side posts therefor mounted upon and secured to said inclined grain deflecting portion, and an inner lining carried by said posts and spaced from the outer car Wall.

12. In a freight car construction, an integral welded side sill extending the length of the car body and having a horizontal shelf for the car flooring spaced inwardly from the outer Wall of said sill, said sill member having portions extending from said shelf outwardly and upwardly to form grain deflecting portions and having intermediate said grain deflecting portions a horizontal portion extending from the shelf to the outer wall of the sill and underlying the door opening in the car wall.

13. In a freight car construction, an integral welded side sill extending the length of the car body and having a horizontal shelf for the car flooring spaced inwardly from the outer wall of said sill, said sill member having portions extending from said shelf outwardly and upwardly to form grain deflecting portions and having intermediate said grain deflecting portions a horizontal portion extending from the'shelf to the outer wall of the sill and underlying the door opening in the car wall, and transverse spacer members in said tubular sill underlying and supporting said shelf portion and secured to the walls of said sill.

14. In a freight car construction, a side sill extending the length of the car body and having a horizontal shelf for the car flooring spaced inwardly from the outer wall of said sill, said sill member having portions extending from said shelf outwardly and upwardly to form grain deflecting portions and having intermediate said grain deflecting portions a horizontal portion extending from the shelf to the outer wall of the sill and underlying the door opening in the car wall, and door posts extending upwardly from said horizontal portion and abutting the ends of said grain deflecting portions.

15. In a freight car construction, a side sill extending the length of the car body and having a horizontal shelf for the car flooring spaced inwardly from the outer wall of said sill, said sill member having portions extending from said shelf outwardly and upwardly to form grain deflecting portions and having intermediate said grain deflecting portions a horizontal portion extending from the shelf to the outer wall of the sill and underlying the door opening in the car wall, door posts extending upwardly from said horizontal portion and abutting the ends of said grain deflecting portions, a car wall secured to said sill and comprising an outer sheathing, an inner lining spaced from said car wall above said grain deflecting portion, and side posts secured to said grain deflecting portion and extending upwardly between said outer sheathing andinner lining and secured thereto.

16. In a side sill construction for freight cars, the combination of an outer sill member, an inner sill member including an inwardly extending portion welded along its outer margin to said outer sill member and having at its inner margin a downwardly and inwardly extending portion forming a floor-supporting shelf, said shelf being spaced inwardly of the car from said outer sill member, a plurality of transverse bracing members positioned between said sill members and welded thereto, and a longitudinally disposed bracing member positioned between the lower margin of said outer sill member and said shelf and welded thereto.

17. In a freight car construction, the combination of a side wall having a door opening and a side sill structure welded to the lower margin of the side wall and extended the length of the car and forming a girder for said side wall, said sill structure including an outer and an inner sill member welded together along their upper margins, said inner sill member extending inwardly of the car and having formed thereon a longitudinal, horizontally disposed shelf portion spaced inwardly from the outer sill member, transverse brace members positioned between said sill members and welded thereto, and a longitudinally disposed reinforcement member underlying the door opening and extending between the lower margin of said outer sill and said shelf and welded thereto and underlying.

18. In a freight car construction, the combination of a side Wall having a door opening and a side sill structure welded to the lower margin of the side wall and extended the length of the car and forming a girder for said side wall, Said sill structure including an outer and an inner sill member Welded together along their upper margins, said inner sill member extending inwardly of the car and having formed on its inner margin a longitudinal, horizontal shelf portion spaced inwardly from the outer sill member and disposed in a plane intermediate the upper and lower margins of said sill members, transverse brace members positioned between said sill members and welded thereto, a longitudinally disposed reinforcement member underlying said door opening and extending between the lower margin of said outer sill member and said shelf and welded thereto, and a removable floor supported by and secured to said shelf.

19. In a freight car construction, the combination of a side wall having a door opening and a side sill structure welded to the lower margin of the side wall and extended the length of the car and forming a girder for said side wall, said sill structure including an outer and an inner sill member welded together along their upper margins, said inner sill member extending inwardly of the car and having formed thereon a longitudinal, horizontally disposed shelf portion spaced inwardly from the outer sill member, transverse brace members positioned between said sill members and welded thereto, a longitudinally disposed reinforcement member extending between saidsill members and welded thereto and underlying the door opening, a. removable floor supported by and secured to said shelf, and an inner lining for said wall supported by and spaced from the wall and having its inner face in a plane ofiset outwardly from the plane of the margin of said floor.

REA W. THOMPSON. 

